Book discussion club

A book club is a group of people who meet to discuss a book or books that they have read and express their opinions, likes, dislikes, etc. It is more often called simply a book club, a term that is also used to describe a book sales club, which can cause confusion. Other frequently used terms to describe a book discussion club include reading group, book group, and book discussion group. Book discussion clubs may meet in private homes, libraries, bookstores, online forums, pubs, and in cafés or restaurants over meals or drinks.

A practice also associated with book discussion, common reading program or common read, involves institutions encouraging their members to discuss select books in group settings; common reading programs are largely associated with educational institutions encouraging their students to hold book discussion meetings.

A single-title club is one in which people discuss a particular title that every person in the group has read at the same time, often with each member buying a personal copy. Clearly, the club must somehow decide ahead of time what that title will be. Some groups may decide to choose new release titles, whilst others may choose older ones, or a mixture of the two. If it is a book discussion club that meets at a library, then each member may borrow a copy of the book from the library over a given timeframe in order for a later discussion.

There may be a few problems with these clubs. Some members may regard them as opportunities to meet people for social contact and general conversation, partially veering off onto a wide variety of non-literary topics, while others wish to engage in serious literary analysis focused on the book in question and related works, with little non-literary interaction. Additionally, some members may suggest a book not because they are interested in it from a literary point-of-view but because they think it will offer them an opportunity to make points of personal interest to them or fit an external agenda. Also, different expectations and education/skill levels may lead to conflicts and disappointments in clubs of this kind.

The characteristics of a multi-title club are such that each member may be reading different titles from each other at any given time, and they may share a reading list for a period of time. What distinguishes this from any group of unrelated people reading different things from each other is that each title is expected to be read by the next member in a serial fashion.

Open loans suggest that the books in question are free to be loaned among the population with the expectation of getting them back eventually. Instead of one member deciding what everyone will read, with all the cost implications of acquiring that title, these clubs usually involve circulating books they already own. Each book is introduced with a short precis. This offers members the advantage of previewing a work before committing to read. It has the effect of narrowing the focus of the dialogue so that book and reader are more quickly and more accurately matched up. The sequential nature of the process implies that within a short time, three to five people may have read the same title, which is the perfect amount for a worthy conversation.

Catch and release imply that actual ownership of the book transfers each iteration with no expectation of the book returning to the original owner. The mechanism of transfer may include a personal face to face hand off, sending the items through the mail, or most remarkably, leaving the book in a public place with the expectation that unknown future readers will find it there. All three methods are utilized with BookCrossing. Participants use a website and a system of unique identification numbers to track released items as they migrate through a worldwide community. The interaction is largely web-centric, but it does not exclude face-to-face gatherings, each of which can take on the traits of other book discussion clubs.

Many public libraries lead book clubs as a library program on a regular basis. A librarian usually leads a discussion after participants read the book. Copies of the book are available to either be checked out or signed out for the group meeting. If leading a book discussion group outside of the facility, often libraries offer book discussion kits where several titles of a book are able to be loaned out of the library to a single patron. Also, the lending period is typically longer than for the average book. The kits also contains a suggested reading guide with discussion questions. This is a convenience as everyone in the group is not forced to buy a copy of the book.[1]

Librarians also aid in the procurement of items needed for private book club meetings. They are able to withhold multiple copies of a publication and extend loan periods. They are also able to facilitate club meetings digitally, through discussion boards or video meetings. Many librarians note the positive influence of Google+ hangouts and Skype to host meetings for long distance club members and for times in which all members could not attend the club. Librarians have helped non-traditional book clubs find footing within their community.[2]

With the challenge that not all members of a club can regularly meet at an appointed place and time, a new form of book clubs has emerged online. Online clubs exist in the shape of Internet forums, Yahoo Groups, e-mail mailing lists, dedicated websites, such as Goodreads.com,[3] apps such as Novellic and even telephone conference calls. Also, in the category of social networks, these online clubs are made up of members of a variety of reading interests and often approach book discussion in different ways, e.g. academic discussion, pleasure-reading discussion, personal connection, and reaction to books members read.

In 2012, a new book club format referred to as author-led book clubs was introduced by Business Book Club "12 Books." Author led book clubs include the author of the current book as part of the discussion; it often concludes the discussion with a live conference call or webinar.

A broadcast club is one in which a television, radio, or podcast show features a regular segment that presents a discussion of a book. The segment is announced in advance so that viewers or listeners may read the book prior to the broadcast discussion. Some notable broadcast book discussion clubs include:

Given the busy lifestyles of today, another variation on the traditional 'book club' is the book reading club. In such a club, the group agrees on a specific book, and each week (or whatever frequency), one person in the group reads the book out loud while the rest of the group listens. The group can either allow interruptions for comments and questions from the members at any time, or agree to allow such input at chapter or section endings. Such a club makes reading a shared experience and frees the busy members from the "homework" of having read the book before coming to the club. It also creates a lively environment for commenting on the specifics of the books as it is read and can lead to very enriching exchanges. A given book may continue for several sittings, depending on the pace of reading, frequency of meetings, and the extent of comments and discussion. Members can take turns reading to share the reading responsibility. Another variation on the concept could be jointly listening to an audio-book with pauses for comments. Once a book is completed, members recommend their choices of the new books and vote on which book to proceed with next.

BookBuffet is a website directed toward book groups and avid readers with literary news, book reviews, author podcasts, technology tips, and vetted resource links. Members register their group to use a set of tools where they can maintain a joint calendar, communicate, and keep track of books their group has read as well as rate books and share reviews. Book group moderators (people who lead book groups) can keep track of all their various client groups, communicate, and share information in chat forums. There is also a "find a group" feature for people looking to join an existing group. Founded by Paula Shackleton.

New Zealand's only nationwide book group specialist is Book Discussion Scheme.

Association of Book Group Readers and Leaders (AGBRL), also known as the Association of Professional Book Club Facilitators, is a cooperative information clearinghouse for avid readers, both individuals and those in book discussion clubs. Its founder and director is Rachel W. Jacobsohn, author of The Reading Group Handbook.

Reader's Circle is a book club where people attend with whatever they're reading. The only structure is if participants decide to have an 'optional book.' Otherwise, people just bring their own books, articles, magazines, and conversation goes from there.

Great Books Foundation is a nonprofit educational organization established in 1947 that publishes collections of classic and modern literature for use in book discussion clubs. It also offers workshops in conducting book discussions.

BookSurfing is a social network based book discussion club that uses Facebook as its platform to organize and set up meetings. A moderator sets up a Facebook event and selects eight people who meet at one of the participants house for a "Surf". Every participant reads the text he brings out loud to the entire group. The participants may use any readable text but it must not exceed 450 words. In every "Surf", at least one of the participants must be new to BookSurfing. Among the participants there should always be some people who don't know each other and every surf must have a moderator. The texts and reasons for choosing them are then discussed. Booksurfing was founded in Tel Aviv Israel in 2013 by Raz Spector and now has groups in various countries[4]

isthisabook.club is a decentralized and mysterious book club organization that popped up in early 2018 across many cities in the US.[5] According to its source code, it may have had earlier meetings, has been passed down through Oral tradition, and uses the principle of stigmergy to mutate.

GoodReads is a social media network for readers. Users can keep track of what they're reading, shelve books, write reviews, rate titles comment on friends' progress. The site also includes literary quizzes, book lists to find more titles to enjoy, various book discussion groups, author interviews and more.

Library Thing is a social media resource that helps users to catalog and keep track of what they're reading. Rate, review, and discuss books with others.

LitLovers is a literary resource for all things regarding books and book clubs. Get tips on how to start a book club, find summaries, discussion questions, author biographies, book reviews, reading guides and more to help begin or aid your book clubs.

Book Movement is an online book club resource that provides book guides, book reviews, book ideas, new books or club communication tools, and more to help organize and expand your book club.

Book Series in Order is an online resource that provides detailed lists of book series in their proper order. Searches can be made by title, author, or series title.